Flume.



o. H. RAMSDEN.

PLUMB. APPLICATION FILED QOT. 3, 1911.

Patented May 28, 1912.

. WITNESSES: 7%; W

c? 2% $17 75 bE/J.

UMBIA PLANOORAPH C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

oI-IARLEs H. RAMsnEN, E SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR. To wEsTERNPIPE AND STEEL coMPAEY or c'ALIEoRNIA, A coRPoRATIoN or cALIPoRivIA.

FLUME.

Patented May 28, 1912.

7 Application filed October 3, 1911. Serial No. 652,569.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs H. RAMSDEN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flumes,of which the following is a specifidescription where I cation.

The invention relates to flumes used for conducting water or otherliquids and especially to flumes made of sheet met-a1.

The object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal flume of cheaperconstruction than has heretofore been considered possible.

Another object of the invention is to pro 'vide a sheet metal flumehaving a smooth interior surface, free of all projections orobstructions at the 'pointswhere the sections of the flume are joined. I

Another object of the invention is to provide. a sheet metal flumein'which the sections of metal are not permanently attached to eachother.

The construction possesses other advantageous features, which, with vtheforegoing will be set forth at lengthin the following form of embodimentof the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawingsaccompanying and forming part of the present specification.

The novelty of the invention will beincluded in the claims succeedingsaid description. I

From this it will be apparent that I do not restrict myself to theshowing made by such drawings and descriptions, as I may adopt manyvariations within the scope of the invention, as expressed in saidclaims.

Referring to the drawings :-Figure 1 is a cross section of the flume,showing a supporting structure; the drawing being formed in two partsshowingtwolmeans of tightening the joint between two sections of theflume. Fig. 2 is a side view of theflume showing the tightening'meansillustrated on the left side of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of theflume showing the tightening means illustrated onthe right side ofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken through two sections ofthe flume at a joint. Fig. 5 is a side view of the flume illustrating amodified form of tightening means.

Sheet metal fl'umes consist of a plurality of relatively short sectionsjoined together this description are tactor approximately in contact.

shall outline in full that Various means may ample,

at their ends, the number of sections depending upon the length of theflume. These sections have heretofore generally been 0011-. nected by alap joint, either by bolting or riveting or by means of clamps lyinginside and outside of the flume and acting conomtly. The objection tothe bolted or riveted construction is the high cost of manufacture andthe fact that it cannot be practically taken apart and setup in another.10-

cation. The objection to the other construction is that it presents anobstacle at each joint to the flow of the water. Flumes of generallymade semicircular in cross section and are supported by a suitabletrestle or frame, so that they are held above the'ground. v

According to my invention, the plates or sections 2 are placed end toend with the ends of the plates alined and lying in, con- On the outsideof the flume at each joint is arranged a sheet metal band 3' preferablyof heavier material than the material of the plates. This band 3overlies the abutting ends of the plates 2 forming a butt joint. Theband is drawn up tightly around the fiume so that a water tight joint isobtained. In order to insure a more positive water joint, a packing 4 isinserted between the band 3 and the plates 2. This packing matightterial preferably consists of a strip of paper or rubber or a coatingofasphaltum material or sheet solder placed on the band before it is putinto place. When such fusible material is used the band is heated by:agasolene torch or similar means after it has been placed and drawntight, causing the asphaltum or solder to melt and conform to anyirregularities in the band or plates at the joint and thereby form atight joint. be employed for drawing the band tightly around the flumeand in the drawings I have shown, as an ex several means, either ofwhich may be employed. The trestle or supporting frame is provided witha cross timber 5 directly above each joint in the flume and the band 3is tightened by drawing it toward such cross timber. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3the band 3 is provided with a loop or eye 6 at each end which is engagedby means passing over the timber 5. In Fig. 2 the band is drawn tight bymeans of the wedges 7 engaging the link 8 which passes through the eye 6and over the timber 5. In Fig. 3 the pressure is applied by means of thedouble bolt 9 passing through the eye 6 and being provided with nutsengaging a bearing plate lying on the timber. In Fig. 5 the band 3 ispressed against the flume by means of the rods 12 passing around theband and through the cross timber and provided on their ends with nuts.Some means should also be employed for holding the upper edges of theplates in line and prevent them from moving when pressure isapplied tothe band. In Fig. 1, I have shown two means of accomplishing thispurpose. In the left hand part of the figure a spacing timber 13 securedto the cross timber is shown. This member may extend across the flumeand engage the opposite edge or it may comprise a block attached at eachside. In the right hand side of the figure I have shown a block 14nailed to the cross timber and provided with a slot to receive the upperedges of the two plates. This method of securing the plates in place bya butt joint, has also the advantage that it readily allows thevariation in length due to changes in temperature to be taken up. Thisvariation in length will reach an appreciable amount in a long flume,and in the constructions heretofore employed some special means werenecessary to accommodate it. In order to prevent this variation fromlocalizing itself at one particular joint and thereby causing a break inthe flume, I prefer to loosely connect the adjacent sections by a wire15 passing through holes in the plates. This wire connection allows theends of the plates to move a slight distance with respect to each other,but not enough to impair the joint.

I claim:

1. In a sheet metal flume composed of a plurality of plates placed endto end with their adjacent edges in line, a band surrounding the flumeat the juncture of two adjacent plates, a cross timber supported abovethe flume at said juncture and means engaging the band and the timberfor pressing the band against the flume.

2. A joint for a sheet metal flume composed of a plurality of sectionsarranged with their adjacent ends abutting, consisting of a bandsurrounding the flume at the juncture of two sections, a packing betweensaid. band and said plates and means for drawing said band tightlyagainst said plates.

3. In a sheet metal flume adapted to be supported above the ground andcomposed of a plurality of sections arranged with their adjacent endsabutting, a supporting framework, a cross piece on said framework at thejuncture of two sections, a metallic band surrounding the flume andengaging the sections adjacent their ends, a packing between said bandand the flume and means engaging the band and the cross piece fordrawing the flume toward the cross piece.

4. The combination with the flume sections abutting at their adjacentends, of a clamping means consisting of an outer band surrounding thesections at the joint, a cross beam above the flume at the joint, meansengaging the band and the beam for drawing the flume sections up againstthe cross beam, means for holding the upper edges of the sections inline on the cross beam and means for allowing only a limitedlongitudinal motion of the flume sections with respect to each other.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco,California, this 22d day of September 1911.

CHARLES H. RAMSDEN.

In presence of H. G. Pnosr, R. HEFFERNAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). 0.

